The number of people aged 65 and over (65+) continues to rise and now makes up 14 percent of the population, Statistics New Zealand said today. The population aged 65+ has been growing faster than all other age groups.Grey Kiwis now fastest-growing age group – Media release

The number of people aged 65 and over (65+) continues to rise and now makes up 14 percent of the population, Statistics New Zealand said today. The population aged 65+ has been growing faster than all other age groups.

In the last two years, the population aged 65+ has increased by 43,100. “Growth has slowed in all other age groups,” population statistics manager Andrea Blackburn said. “The 40–64 year age group has increased by 22,200. The younger age groups, 0–14 and 15–39, have actually declined over the same two-year period, by 3,400 and 1,500, respectively.”

The resident population of New Zealand was 4,441,300 at 30 September 2012. The population increased by 27,200 (0.6 percent) in the last year. Natural increase (more births than deaths) of 30,400 contributed to population growth while there was a net migration loss of 3,300, due to more departures than arrivals.

This will be the last quarterly National Population Estimates media and information release. As of 2013, National Population Estimates will become an annual information release, with tables updated quarterly. It will be published in mid-August each year, for the year ending June.